Are You at Risk to Poor Decision Making?

Nursing Leadership

 by: Xandy Jaraba

        If each individual gets the same details and uses the same medical approach to fix issues, it could be made that identical options would result. However, in reality, this is not true. Because creating options includes perceiving and assessing, feeling, and evaluating, it is unavoidable that personality performs a part to create options. No conversation of creating options would, therefore, be complete without a cautious evaluation of your role in decision making especially if you are a nurse leader.

      So, how will you get over from subjectivity to objectivity to create decisions? This can never be completely overcome, nor should it. After all, lifestyle would be tedious if everyone thought alike. However, professionals must become conscious of their own vulnerability and identify how it impacts and limits the quality of their decision making. Remember, as a nurse leader you do not work alone. You are part of the interdisciplinary health care team. This means that you need to collaborate with them in order to increase the efficiency, productivity and improve the quality of care to the patients.

     Many studies have shown, identified and suggested to help reduce personal subjectivity and increase critical objectivity. Being puzzled and ambiguous about a person's principles may affect decision-making ability from Huston & Marquis. Overcoming this place of vulnerability needs self-awareness. Conquering lack of self-awareness through values clarification with your co-peers reduces misunderstandings. People who understand their personal beliefs and feelings will have more conscious awareness of the values on which their decisions are based. So, spend some of your time to do self-awareness to examine your principles and to reflect upon your emotions and attitudes. This may be done through open forum and discussion as a way to foster both personal and professional development.

     Another factor is inexperience. It is difficult to get over from mistakes.   According to Benner (1994), this refers to lack of skill as a “reason in transition.” However, you can do some things to reduce this point of weaknesses. First, use available resources, including current research and literary works, to gain a bigger understanding of the issues involved. Second, include other individuals, such as experienced co-workers, trusted friends, or superiors, to act as appearing forums and consultants. Third, assess decisions later to assess their success. By doing all of these, you will be able to get over from inexperience.

       Because everybody has different values and life experiences,then each person would perceive and thinks differently. Most people, who create options alone ,are frequently incapable because they are not able to comprehend issues fully or create options from both systematic and intuitive viewpoint. However, both types of thinkers may be found. The use of heterogeneous rather than homogeneous groups will usually result in better-quality decision making. Out of the box thinkers (Ignatavicius, 2001) refers to individuals who sometimes have unusual ideas but are very skilled and talented. If somebody is new in the group, welcome them. Learn to be open-minded and approachable . You may never know that they are very useful to the group. They will become assets and not liabilities to the group.

    Although not all experts believe this fact, Huston (1990) indicates that there are features of successful choice makers. According to Huston, you must have sensitivity, energy, courage and creativity. First, a wise decision maker seem to have some sort of aerial that makes them particularly delicate to situations and others. So be sensitive to others. Second, have the desire, power and determination if you want to make things happen. Then, be energetic always. Third, have you tried and tested yourself to be brave at some point of your life that you undergo a risk-taking experience? Perhaps you had. Then you must have known that bravery is of particular significance to you and that includes your desire to take risks. Last, be creative. Creativity is one of the hallmark of a critical thinker. Be innovative and resourceful. Develop new ways to fix and improve issues in the group.

     In the end, to be an effective nurse leader, you must understand the significance of each person’s values, life experience, preferences, and way of thinking which influences the ability of one's decision making. Be a critical thinker, so that you can be aware of your weaknesses or vulnerability that prevents you to make better decisions. Also, make initiatives to prevent the pitfalls of faulty logic through cautious assessment, prioritizing and planning.

    As an old saying goes, nobody is created perfect. But through practice, it allows you to be a successful decision maker. 

Courtesy of google.com  for the pictures

Douglas, L. M. The Effective Nurse Leader, Manager, 3rd Ed. 

Nurse As Educator: 

Principles of Teaching and Learning for Nursing Practice by Susan Bacorn Bastable
Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2003